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Prasar Bharati has invited applications from private OTT platforms for exclusive global licensing rights to stream ‘Swaraj- Bharat Ke Swatantrata Sangram Ki Samagra Gatha’, a 75-episode show produced by the pubcaster to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence that will be broadcast on the DD’s network in several languages.
According to an official document on Prasar Bharati’s website, applications were being invited from OTT platforms to be granted a global three-year licence for ‘Swaraj’.
The reserve price for the series — which will start airing on Doordarshan from August 14 with an average per episode duration of 48 minutes — has been pegged at Rs. 26.25 crore (plus applicable taxes).
The highest bidder will be decided through an e-auction. Incremental amount beyond the reserve price will be Rs. 500,000 and its multiples. The last date for submitting an application is August 4.
The target companies for this unique partnership include Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLIV, Voot, Jio, ALTBalaji, Eros Now, discovery+, Airtel XStream, Shemaroo, Zee5 and MX Player.
The programme has been commissioned by Prasar Bharti to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence.
‘Swaraj- Bharat Ke Swatantrata Sangram Ki Samagra Gatha’ outlines India’s freedom struggle from the 15th century onwards and is originally produced in Hindi language. It’d be dubbed in English and nine other Indian languages, including Marathi, Odia, Gujarati and Telugu.
The streamer that makes the winning bid for the show will be able to put it on its platform two days after the original episode is aired on DD networks.
The serial will bring to life several aspects of Indian history and the country’s struggle for swaraj or self-rule, going beyond the versions handed out by colonisers that include the Muslims, Portuguese, French, Dutch and the British. It’d feature the lives and sacrifices of lesser-known Indian heroes.
Popular actor Manoj Joshi plays the role of a narrator (sutradhar) of the serial, which has grand production quality and promises to be a visual treat.
The audio version of the series will be broadcast on the networks of the All India Radio.
